If you are unwilling to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve.

But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.

Joshua 24:15 NLT

It seems less than desirable to some people to serve Me. Like Ruth’s sister-in-law, they revert to their former gods. I challenge you to be like Ruth, insisting on staying with her mother-in-law in Israel. Live near Me in the holy land of the broken heart. Desire nothing in life more than honoring your Creator in your thoughts, words, and deeds. I am the Holy One—reflect My holiness in all you are.

No matter what idols others may choose, give Me full control—gladly follow Me as your Perfect Tour Guide. Listen carefully to the voice of your Shepherd—tune out voices of contemporary rivals. I am the Ardent God—I brook no rivals. No other Savior exists—false gods of the heart rob Me of the supreme allegiance I alone deserve. Resolutely turn away from idols and give your heart unreservedly to Me, the One and Only True God.

Counterfeit gods of sexual lust, selfish greed, and head-swelling self-importance are evil influences that clamor to take charge of your will. Why be preoccupied with physical gratification and human applause, when I offer you a river of infinite joy? Why wander about in a ghetto of poverty and loneliness, when I have prepared a luxurious mansion for you in My eternal city of hope? Why live beneath your means spiritually?

I repeatedly confirm My affection for you. I demonstrate My faithfulness and power in life’s changing seasons. I reveal My wisdom in My Word. I reach out to you in friendship and offer to guide you by My Spirit. Toss idols—trust the Infinite. Put away the dearest idols you have known and make the noble choice to serve Me wholeheartedly—today.

Do not waver in opinions about Me—worship Me with conviction. Do not just silently mull over religious ideas—publicly voice your beliefs. Quit dabbling in sin—get serious about holiness. Recommit yourself to love Me, the Living Lord, and leave lesser gods. Rededicate yourself to lead your family and friends to serve Me and set aside tawdry substitutes. Treasure the Eternal, not the ersatz!

Give Me undivided allegiance, and I will sculpt your attitudes and reactions to be Christlike. Stay focused on Jesus, and you will inspire others to energetically run with you in the Faith Marathon. Example is the only way to influence others—by My grace, set the pace.

Johnny R. Almond

Pastor, Hull’s Memorial Baptist Church - Friends on a Journey of Faith

Author, Gentle Whispers from Eternity—book available on Amazon

http://GentleWhispersFromEternity--ScripturePersonalized.com/

Devotional based on day 120 of Gentle Whispers from Eternity

All the good promises the Lord had given to the family of Israel came true.

Joshua 21:45 NLT

I promise you My Presence. You can always count on My constant companionship. I accompany you every heartbeat—every hour, every day, your lifetime on earth, every phase of your journey, eternally. In sunshine and in shadow, I am closer to you than your hands and feet, nearer than your breathing. Enjoy the pleasure of My company.

I promise you forgiveness. Acknowledge your sins to Me, and rest assured of My faithfulness and mercy to purify you of every wrong. Admit your personal wrongdoing, and state your sincere intention to turn away from evil. You have been pardoned in response to repentance, time and time again. When you trust in the good works of Jesus on the cross, I transform a depressed dirge into a freedom song. Let your heart sing.

I promise you deep and enduring peace of mind—unlike temporary peace the world offers. My Tranquil Spirit will calm your troubled heart in every circumstance, no matter how stressful. Earth life will bring wave after wave of heartache, but you will not drown. You have enjoyed My comfort day after day. Take heart—I still rule the waves on life’s high seas. Your small boat will not sink—I am at the helm. Do not panic—rest in the arms of the Captain. Relax.

I promise to take care of your everyday needs. My Son did not die and rise from the dead so you could just get by. You have enjoyed My lavish hospitality through the years; you have never gone hungry and you never will. Bow your head and say grace. Celebrate.

I promise to strengthen you to face every situation. I will counsel and encourage you. Skies may not always be blue, but I will walk with you through the rain. I will empower you to obey My orders, survive every difficulty, and be ready for whatever happens. You have enjoyed many victories in conflict with spiritual enemies. Every time you have depended on Me to conquer temptation, you have won. Every time you have tried it on your own, you have lost. Success is My way; failure is yours. Seek My strength in prayer, and win against sin.

I promise you heaven. I am preparing a glorious place for you, an environment of untarnished beauty and undying joy. Until then, do not let disappointments throw you—paradise is just around the corner. The future is as bright as My promises. Trust Me—everything will turn out right.

Johnny R. Almond

Pastor, Hull’s Memorial Baptist Church

Author, Gentle Whispers from Eternity—available on Amazon

http://GentleWhispersFromEternity--ScripturePersonalized.com/

Devotional based on day 119  of Gentle Whispers from Eternity

Jesus Calming the Storm by Rembrandt

The Perfect Storm Shelter

By Pastor Johnny R. Almond

Now tell the Israelites to designate the cities of refuge, as I instructed Moses.

Joshua 20:2

I am your Storm Shelter from guilt—walls of pardon around My city of salvation keep you safe and secure from the Accuser. Despite your best efforts to resist temptation, you sometimes give in and are filled with remorse. Find consolation in Jesus, your Defense Counsel. When the Devil reminds you of your past, remind him of his future! Confess your sins to Me—depend on Me to forgive you. Even if your heart condemns you, I will not. In the storm of self-reproach, hide in your Savior.

I am your Storm Shelter from worry—walls of My promises around My city of hope keep you safe and secure from anxiety. Beneath quicksand circumstances, I am the Solid Rock. Life’s roller coaster will not throw you—I am riding right alongside you in all its unpredictable twists and turns, so do not let fear get the best of you. Real trust in Me builds confidence as you encounter time’s vicissitudes on the approach to your eternal destination. Today will not change who I was yesterday; tomorrow I will be the same. I have always loved you—and I always will. In the night of fear, take refuge in faith.

I am your Storm Shelter from temptation—walls of power around My city of grace keep you safe and secure from assault. Be careful that you do not allow false gods of the heart to steal allegiance from Me. Lust for physical gratification, the urge to buy all you desire, conceit based on tangible possessions—the range of temptation—will all ultimately fade into oblivion; but those who live My way will endure eternally. You can only imagine what it will be like when Jesus returns. Until the golden dawn, live purely to prove you are Mine. Battling the evil one, wield a faith shield.

I am your Storm Shelter from doubt—walls of paradise around My city of heaven will keep you safe and secure from Abaddon. Because I live forever, the real you will never die. Because I love you, you are perfectly safe in My arms. I freely care for you, so you can live carefree. I am praying for you, so you can take it easy. You and I are inseparable. In the shadows of uncertainty, take cover in Love. The Mighty Fortress is great enough to protect you whatever happens. Even if you find yourself in the middle of a perfect storm—overwhelmed by a combination of circumstances making your heart palpitate with anxiety—rest assured that heaven is ready for any emergency. However rough the storms may get, seek asylum in My heart and remain inside the walls—enjoy the pleasure of My company.

Johnny R. Almond

Pastor, Hull’s Memorial Baptist Church - Friends on a Journey of Faith

Author, Gentle Whispers from Eternity—book available on Amazon

http://GentleWhispersFromEternity--ScripturePersonalized.com/

Devotional based on day 118 of Gentle Whispers from Eternity

Killing Time—Injuring Eternity

By Pastor Johnny R. Almond

Joshua addressed the People of Israel: “How long are you going to sit around on your hands,

putting off taking possession of the land that GOD, the God of your ancestors, has given you?”

JOSHUA 18:3 THE MESSAGE

Frequently we delay doing the right thing. It is not that we are ignorant of what we should be doing; our sin is procrastination. We keep waiting for “the right time.” Now is the right time! Today is the day of salvation; today is also the day of service. Here and now is all we have. This is a workday—we should not report late!

Putting off tasks that seem overwhelming or disagreeable shows lack of discipline, careless use of time, and disobedience to God. When we are tempted to postpone getting into action by substituting good intentions—we should concentrate on high priority tasks, work as a team with others, and seek encouragement from fellow members of the church.

Our head may be filled with knowledge, but our heart is sometimes slow to act on what we know. Wasting time grieves the heart of God.

I do not think God is impressed by our biblical IQ, if it is not matched by a high spiritual “I do.” Whatever we intend to do for God, we should do it today! It’s time to wake up and follow through on our noble dreams! Here are some practical ways to translate our resolutions into practical deeds—demonstrate love to our family; phone our friends to cheer them up; write a note to someone going through hard times to express concern.

We should not allow our lesser goals to overshadow the kingdom of God—to do so would make us a scatterbrain. After we make sure our ambition and aim are sincere, we must then swiftly obey God’s will. It is high time to passionately, prayerfully, intelligently, and energetically serve our Creator, Redeemer, and Friend. We need to quit staring up the steps and start stepping up the stairs.

Often we allow distractions to hinder our commitment to God. Rather than focusing on claiming our spiritual inheritance, we allow peripheral issues to sidetrack us. Trivial pursuits occupying our time will not matter a century from today. But who we are and what we do for heaven’s sake will matter millenniums from now—and beyond.

Henry David Thoreau was right in Walden—we cannot kill time without injuring eternity.

Johnny R. Almond

Pastor, Hull’s Memorial Baptist Church - Friends on a Journey of Faith

Author, Gentle Whispers from Eternity—book available on Amazon

http://GentleWhispersFromEternity--ScripturePersonalized.com/

devotion based on day 117 of Gentle Whispers from Eternity